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“Yeah, photography is my creative outlet. I love taking photos of nature and cars. Those two are my favorite subjects, but I’ve done a few photoshoots with people, too, and the pictures turned out great. So, in other words, yes, I like photography,” I say, rambling in the same way she was earlier.
I’ve never spoken to anyone who isn’t my family about my passion for photography, so I’m a bit unpracticed.
“Will you show me some of your work?” she asks once we’ve seen every part of the museum we could visit.
“You want to see my pictures?”
Disbelief fills my voice, something she clearly detects because she gives my arm a reassuring squeeze and lets an excited grin light up her eyes.
“Absolutely!”
Valentina hooks her arm through mine as we walk back to the taxi pick-up and drop-off area, the setting afternoon sun pleasantly warm.
“Give me until tomorrow. I’ve gotta choose the best ones,” I say with a small laugh that she returns.
“I can’t wait.”
Chapter 20
Nevaeh
MamaandPapatextme to let me know they’ve landed and will spend some time with George, Lincoln’s dad. Valentina invites me to have dinner at her hotel, so we tell the taxi driver where to go. She’s staying at theFour Seasonsalong with her fiancé and brother.
We talk the whole way back to the hotel, too, not a silent moment between us because something I say reminds her of something else, or vice versa. It’s strangely similar to how it felt when Adrian and I had dinner together, and I soak up every single minute of this carefree moment.
Although she assured me Adrian and Gabriel wouldn’t be in her room, there they are, playing a card game with two other drivers. I recognize Cameron Kion and Leonard Tick as soon as I lay my eyes on them.
In the Formula One world, Cameron and Leonard are two of the men I respect the most. In all the interviews, Cameron always finds ways to cheer up the upset drivers if they didn’t get their desired results, and he loves to entertain the reporters with his comedic performances. Not to mention, the Australian single-handedly opened up the small minds of people in the sport, specifically the old white men, by having the courage to come out as gay. In Formula One, that was unheard of until Cameron.
Leonard has my respect for being one of the best drivers the world has ever seen while supporting charities, artists, and organizations that do good in the world. He does all of this while also constantly dealing with the racism and ignorance of others. From what Valentina told me, he is one hell of a mentor, too, and I’ve seen every single one of the projects he is a part of to make this world a better place. He’s remarkable, truly someone to look up to not only in this sport, but as a man in general.
My eyes drift from the man I respect to the man I already like far more than I should. His gaze shifts to me before his eyes light up and his back straightens out. Adrian places the cards on the table and gets up to move toward me, a wolfish grin on his full lips.
Gabriel stands up, too, and makes his way to Val before wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss on her lips. I look away to give them some privacy when I get pulled into a hug as well.
Since Adrian is a lot taller than me but decided to put his arms under mine, he almost lifts me off the ground. My arms fling around him out of reflex, but I don’t know why I slide my hands onto the back of his neck.
It feels right but so incredibly intimate.
“Nevaeh,” he says softly like he always does when using my name, and I smile.
We’ve texted a lot over the past two weeks since we had dinner, talking until we both fell asleep. Every time our conversations were about to come to an end, he’d send a random picture from his camera roll or tell me to send one so we could discuss it. It was sweet and let us get to know each other in a way I’ve never gotten to know someone.
“What are you doing here?” Adrian asks and steps back to look into my eyes. A mischievous smirk spreads over his lips as he adds, “Missed me so much you had to see me earlier?” I let out a laugh and pat his left pec. He’s so muscular andhard.
“As a matter of fact, I was told you wouldn’t be here,” I inform him, causing the smile on his face to grow.
“Can’t handle seeing me without having a forty-eight-hour notice?” I roll my eyes and shake my head.
“I thought the forty-eight hours' notice was for you to figure out how to be around me without mentally undressing me,” I flirt and my gaze drops to his crotch teasingly. Any other guy I’ve known would have, and has, followed my gaze at a comment like this, not Adrian. He smiles with pure confidence as his attention shifts from my eyes to my lips and then back up.
“I know how to behave myself, Nevaeh. Do you?” he challenges with a low, husky voice, his Monegasque accent slipping through for a brief moment.
My heart flutters at the way his scent fills my nose and his smile makes my stomach tumble.
Clearly, I can’t behave myself, otherwise, I wouldn’t be flirting with him every time we speak.
“Alright, love, do you want to go out for dinner or stay in?” Val asks me, looking around her fiancé, who’s still holding onto her.
